X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

Old Faces, New Places: Free Agent Risers

Antonio Losada identifies four NFL free agents on new teams in 2021 that could be fantasy football risers and undervalued draft targets based on ADP.

There is no way to describe the average NFL front office. Each franchise has its own set of rules, follows different parameters when evaluating players, and builds its roster in a very particular way. Even with a clear mindset, an organization's principles might be tweaked in order to accommodate players into the salary cap, for example, which makes decisions even harder to take and for us to understand in some cases.

No matter what, every offseason we see the same musical chairs game. As the title of this column says, old and known faces always move to new places, whether because they find no love in their last team anymore, or because they're truly coveted by every other team around the league and paid big bucks to go play for other franchise. This doesn't mean those changes are always good, or bad, as each move is a case to study on its own with multiple potential ramifications.

For fantasy football purposes, it is easy to try and predict whether those moves fall on the "positive" or "negative" side of things. That is what I'll be writing about next, highlighting four players that didn't generate much noise during the 2020 season but that, after changing teams during the past few months, are poised to improve their fantasy football production in their new surroundings.

Editor's Note: Discover RotoBaller’s top Fantasy Football Sleepers to gain an edge in your drafts. Our free who to draft tool and expert picks spotlight undervalued players, breakout candidates, and late-round gems for all league formats.

 

Fantasy Points Projections

RB Tevin Coleman, New York Jets

You were not expecting Coleman right here, were you? Well, the truth is that he did the right thing and moved on from San Francisco to join the New York Jets on the east coast. First of all, Tevin missed half the year and played only eight games for the 49ers. That's why I'm not looking at total PPR projections, but rather at the FPPG average for 2021 compared to last season. And that's where Coleman leads the pack of players expected to break the 100-FP mark this upcoming year with a 6.4+ improvement on FPPG as a Jet.

Makes sense. The Jets ponied up a fourth-rounder to get themselves some insurance at the running back position by drafting North Carolina's product Michael Carter. At this point in the offseason, though, the pecking order seems to read RB1 Coleman, RB2 Carter. Oh, and that's not to mention the presence of Ty Johnson, who could also eat from the rookie's opportunities.

Coleman's 2020 was forgettable, but in the right situation--New York's, that is--he has enough juice to be the leading tailback of his team. The vet had played at least 12 games in every season prior to the last one, including getting 149 touches in all of them except his rookie year (89). He finished as an RB2 three seasons in a row in his last three years in Atlanta before getting to San Fran, and he projects to an RB3 finish next season in New York. Quite a value given his super-low 196 ADP (RB56).

 

TE Gerald Everett, Seattle Seahawks

We saw kind of a committee, or at least a split, in Los Angeles as the Rams handed a very leveled number of targets to both TE Gerald Everett (62 in 16 games) and Tyler Higbee (60 in 15 games). That was always going to be a fantasy-upside killer, obviously, but even on that time-share, both players finished in the TE2 cohort with 128.2 PPR points (Higbee) and 92.9 (Everett) by season's end. Now, Higbee will stay as the TE1 in LA while Everett will do so for Seattle after signing with the Seahawks.

Seattle doesn't scream fantasy heaven, I know, but the other options for the Seahawks at the position are middling at best. Greg Olsen is retired, Jacob Hollister left in free agency, and Will Dissly finally played a full season in 2020. If Everett is not the TE1 of this team, then I don't even know.

Gerald Everett is the only TE to change teams this offseason that projects to score more than 100 PPR points while raising his FPPG from last year. Only Jonnu Smith/Hunter Henry project to a higher PPR tally, but both are expected to lose on the FPPG department as they'll eat from each other in New England. Everett's ADP is at around 135 right now and given his clear path toward a no. 1 role that makes sense to snatch him with a late-rounder if you punt on the top-tier TEs earlier in your draft. PFF has Everett projected to 116+ PPR points and a 6.8 FPPG average on the year.

 

WR Kenny Golladay, New York Giants

This is a very personal take on Golladay's upside now that he's part of Big Blue. If you see this signing as a hit on Golladay's upside, I guess I'd get it. The Giants have a packed receiving corps, are welcoming back RB Saquon Barkley, and you might think about that as an overall bad-impact environment for Golladay because of a questionable passing game. But that also means he will be playing for a team that defenses will struggle to stop on a weekly basis, and he will undoubtedly be the no. 1 option for New York at the WR spot.

Golladay is entering his fifth season as a pro at age 28 and only last season did he miss more than five games in a single season. That was definitely a low blow for a lowly Lions squad that had no answer to losing him. But in the time he was available, Golladay thrived and put up 13.2 FPPG in five games (if we don't count the last game he played in, which he left after just 18 snaps, he would have put up an even better 16.5 FPPG in four games), pretty much on par with the prior two seasons (13.8 and 15.5) in which he finished as WR21 (2018) and WR9 (2019).

In the two full-time seasons, he played prior to that injury-derailed 2020 year, Golladay averaged a 170-67-1,126-8 season-line playing under Matthew Stafford/Jeff Driskel/David Blough. Daniel Jones is waiting in New York, which again, you might have different views on depending on how you rate the third-year QB. Anyway, fantasy GMs are licking their chops with Golladay's future in the Big Apple as his ADP of 64 is already high (and getting higher) and PFF has him projected to 238+ PPR points and a WR16 finish on the year assuming he plays all 17 games. They have a 119-70-1,270-7 projected line attached to his name, in line with his career-long numbers.

 

WR Breshad Perriman, Detroit Lions

Interestingly enough, New York kind of flipped Kenny Golladay by now former-Jet Breshad Perriman, who went the other way to Detroit this past free agency. The profiles of those two are rather similar, with Perriman averaging a 15.2 aDOT and Golladay sitting at 14.7 yards. Obviously, it'd be a little disingenuous to compare these two abilities and production overall, but that might change with Perriman catching balls from QB Jared Goff instead of Sam Darnold in 2021.

Perriman's traits, as you can see in the pic above, don't leave a lot open to imagination. He's fast as hell, runs deep routes, plays on the outside, and gets a ton of deep targets and yards per reception because he's often catching passes down the field. Just peep at the top comps and names such as Mike Williams, Tee Higgins, and Chase Claypool pop up. I'm not saying he could be a top-tier deep-field guy, but...

...the Lions receiving corps will feature Perriman, Tyrell Williams, Quintez Cephus, and rookie Amon-Ra St. Brown in 2021. If you don't think Perriman is at least the WR2 of that group, you're probably wrong. Perriman projects to 147+ FP in 2021, the sixth-highest mark among WRs changing places, and is one of only three receivers to have a slight improvement on projected FPPG from 2020 to next season. You shouldn't spend more than a last-round flier in Perriman, but he should be on your radar as a potential FLEX option with upside for more as the potential leader of Detroit's offense.



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy football app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, rankings, starts/sits & more. All free!

More Fantasy Football Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

T.J. Watt

Pittsburgh Still Not Close on New Contract
Terry McLaurin

Still Not Pleased with Contract Situation
Sonny Milano

on Track to Be Ready for Training Camp
Yu Darvish

to Make Season Debut on Monday
MLB

Nationals Fire Dave Martinez, Mike Rizzo
Jakub Dobes

Signs Two-Year Deal with Canadiens
KaVontae Turpin

Arrested on Two Charges
Cole Ragans

to Begin Throwing on Monday
Theo Johnson

Prioritizing his Health this Offseason
Andrés Giménez

Andres Gimenez Hits 10-Day Injured List
Jermaine Burton

Continues to Show Growth
NHL

Hendrix Lapierre Signs One-Year Deal with Capitals
Carson Hocevar

Should DFS Players Consider Carson Hocevar for Chicago Lineups?
Tye Kartye

Kraken Re-Sign Tye Kartye for Two Years
Ross Chastain

May be A Decent DFS Option for Chicago Lineups
Dmitri Voronkov

Signs Two-Year, $8.35 Million Extension with Blue Jackets
Ryan Preece

Should DFS Players Roster Ryan Preece at Chicago?
Austin Dillon

Is Too Great of A Risk to Add to Chicago Lineups
Zane Smith

Is A Value Play Worth Rostering At Chicago
Austin Hill

is A Favorable Value Option for Chicago DFS Lineups
Ty Dillon

Is Ty Dillon A Decent Driver to Add For NASCAR DFS At Chicago?
William Byron

Qualifying Crash Makes William Byron a Likely DFS Must-Have
Alex Bowman

Should Finish Well, but Probably Costs Too Much for Serious DFS Consideration
Joey Logano

Has Been Relatively Mediocre on Road Courses Lately
Ryan Blaney

Doesn't Really Fit Neatly into Optimal DFS Lineups
Austin Cindric

Remains an Overrated Road Racer
Brad Keselowski

Likely to Brush Past Chicago Street Course to Focus on Daytona
NASCAR

John H. Nemechek One of the Best Underdog Options After Strong Runs at Mexico City and Last Year
Cole Custer

Strong Mexico City Run and Xfinity Series Chicago Win Make Him a Solid DFS Option
Erik Jones

Likely Not Good Enough on Road Courses for DFS Consideration Despite Poor Qualifying Result
Noah Gragson

May Be Better Than Other Cheap DFS Options
Riley Herbst

Despite Decent Mexico City Run, Don't Expect Riley Herbst to Contend at Chicago
Cody Ware

Is a Road Course Veteran, but It's Rarely Helped Him in NASCAR
Shane Van Gisbergen

Shane van Gisbergen Is The Heavy Favorite to Win at Chicago Street Course
Christopher Bell

Should Be Strong Despite Practice Struggles at Chicago Street Course
Cam Ward

"Not Expecting" to be handed Starting Job
Chase Claypool

Eager to Get Back on the Field
Wyatt Langford

Activated, Playing on Saturday
Jay Huff

on the Move to Indiana
Cam Whitmore

Wizards Acquire Cam Whitmore from the Rockets
LaJohntay Wester

Stands out on Special Teams
Clarke Schmidt

Likely to Undergo Tommy John Surgery
Nolan Arenado

Scratched from Saturday's Lineup
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Starting on Saturday
Corbin Carroll

Activated from 10-Day Injured List
Cincinnati Bengals

Shemar Stewart, Bengals Continue Contract Talks, No Progress Made
Giannis Antetokounmpo

Potential Giannis Antetokounmpo Trade may not Happen Until "August, September"
Ha-Seong Kim

Removed Early During Season Debut
ARI

Christian Fischer Retires From NHL at 28
NHL

Spencer Martin Moves to Russia
WAS

Anthony Beauvillier Re-Signs With Capitals for Two Years
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Sitting Out With Foot Issue
Isaiah Neyor

Impresses at Minicamp
Houston Rockets

Jock Landale Waived by Rockets
Bo Bichette

Back in Blue Jays Lineup
Jonas Valančiūnas

Jonas Valanciunas Considering Returning to Europe
Miles Sanders

Works With Starters During Mandatory Minicamp
Jabari Walker

Signs Two-Way Deal With Sixers
Chimere Dike

Titans Could Move Chimere Dike Inside
Keandre Lambert-Smith

KeAndre Lambert-Smith not Guaranteed Roster Spot
Anthony Bradford

Working Hard to Win Back Starting Job
Byron Young

Still Improving?
Cody Simon

Jonathan Gannon has Been Impressed With Cody Simon
SirVocea Dennis

has Impressive Offseason
Trevor Penning

Could Still Have a Role in New Orleans
Jonathan Kuminga

Warriors Decline Recent Offer for Jonathan Kuminga
Orlando Magic

Moritz Wagner, Magic Agree to One-Year Deal
Clarke Schmidt

Placed on Injured List
José Soriano

Jose Soriano Throws Gem Against Braves
Robbie Ray

Earns Ninth Win in Complete Game
T.J. Watt

Likely to Reset the Edge-Rush Market
George Springer

Blasts Two Homers, Drives in Four
James Wood

Goes Yard in Five-Hit Night
Bradley Beal

Suns Discussing Potential Buyout
Los Angeles Lakers

Jaxson Hayes Staying with the Lakers
NBA

Damian Lillard "Open" to Signing With a Team This Offseason
Max Muncy

Out at Least Six Weeks
Clarke Schmidt

Leaves Start with Forearm Tightness
Colson Montgomery

Promoted to the Major Leagues
Pittsburgh Steelers

Omar Khan, Steelers Agree to Three-Year Contract
Max Muncy

Goes on Injured List With Knee Bruise
Calvin Austin III

Private: Calvin Austin III Making Case for No. 2 Role
SJ

Sharks Claim Nick Leddy Off Waivers
SJ

Sharks Sign Dmitry Orlov to Two-Year, $13 Million Contract
CAR

Nikolaj Ehlers Joins Hurricanes on Six-Year Contract
Ace Bailey

Inks Rookie Contract With Jazz
Boston Celtics

Josh Minott Inks Deal With Celtics
Sandro Mamukelashvili

Heading to Toronto
Jared McCain

Not on 76ers Summer League Roster
Dylan Harper

Unavailable for California Classic
COL

Brent Burns Inks One-Year Deal with Avalanche
STL

Blues Land Pius Suter on Two-Year Deal
Morgan Frost

Agrees to Two-Year Extension with Flames
WPG

Gustav Nyquist Moves to Winnipeg
Cody Glass

Devils Re-Sign Cody Glass to Two-Year Deal
PIT

Anthony Mantha Joins Penguins
Cleveland Cavaliers

Larry Nance Jr. Headed Back to Cavaliers
Eric Gordon

Remaining with 76ers
Los Angeles Lakers

Deandre Ayton Joining Lakers
Emil Heineman

Signs Two-Year Deal with Islanders
Simon Holmstrom

Re-Signs with Islanders for Two Years
UTA

Nate Schmidt Signs Three-Year Deal with Mammoth
UTA

Brandon Tanev Moves to Utah on Three-Year Contract
Dallas Mavericks

Dante Exum Returning to Dallas
Jaren Jackson Jr.

Has Surgery to Repair a Turf Toe Injury
Bud Cauley

in Great Form Ahead of John Deere Classic
Christiaan Bezuidenhout

a Player to Avoid at John Deere Classic
Jake Knapp

Riding Momentum Ahead of John Deere Classic
PGA

Sungjae Im Looking for Consistency at John Deere Classic
Ryan Gerard

a Solid Option at John Deere Classic
Rickie Fowler

Looking to Rebound at John Deere Classic
Cameron Champ

a Volatile Option at John Deere Classic
Jackson Suber

Staying Below 70 is Key to Success for Jackson Suber
Kevin Roy

Playing Better Heading into John Deere Classic
Justin Lower

Hoping for Something Positive in Illinois
Ben Kohles

a Long Shot at John Deere Classic
Stephan Jaeger

Attempts to Stop Roller-Coaster Ride
Beau Hossler

Needs a Challenge in Illinois
Harry Higgs

Has Potential at John Deere Classic
Nick Dunlap

Keeps Plugging Through Tough 2025 Season
Kevin Yu

a Near Must-Play at TPC Deere Run
PGA

J.T. Poston Returns to John Deere Classic Looking for Another High Finish
Thriston Lawrence

a Decent Fit For John Deere Classic
Tom Kim

Not Finding Much to be Happy About Ahead of John Deere Classic
Si Woo Kim

is a Prohibitive Fade at John Deere Classic
Ben Griffin

is the Appropriate Favorite at TPC Deere Run
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF